Knitting machine



Aug. 10, 1937. H. E. HousEMAN KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 24, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 10, 1937. H. E. HousEMAN KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 24, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug l0, 1937- H. E. HoUsEMAN 2,089,554

KNITT ING MACHINE Filed July 24, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet .'5

Aug. l0, 1937. H. E. HousEMAN KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 24, 1936 5 SheelZs--Sheei'l 4 Aug. 10, 19,37. H', E, HOUSEMAN 2,089,554

y KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 24, 1956 5 sheets-sheet 5l F76. /4. /A//E/vm/P Wma/65.-

Patented Aug... 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE m'r'rnvc MACHINE Application July 24, 1936, Serial No. 92,278

25 Claims. (Cl. 66-140) This invention relates to a knitting machine and particularly to yarn changing mechanism for such machine effective, for example, to change yarns frequently to produce horizontal stripes.

Although it may be applied to various kinds of knitting machines, preferably those equipped with revolving needle cylinders, the yarn changing mechanism of the present invention is especially adapted to the so-called superposed cylinder type of machine illustrated in the patent to P. A. Bentley, No. 1,713,736, dated May 2l, 1929.

The type of machine illustrated in the above mentioned patent is equipped with two needle 1 cylinders arranged in axial alignment and adapted to revolve or oscillate in unison with each Y other. Each cylinderhas associated with it a set of knitting cams and the cylinders carry needles having hooks at both'ends, which needles are adapted to be transferred at certain times from one needle cylinder to the other so as to be effective to knit rib stitches in the upper cylinder or plain stitches in the lower cylinder 25 to produce variable arrangements whereby, for

example, a stocking may be knit with a one by one rib top, a six by three ribbed leg, and a plain sole with ribbed instep. The problems involved in designing a yarn changing device for this type of machine are much greater than those encountered with the ordinary single cylinder type, since obviously no mechanism such as a yarn clamping and cutting device may be placed within the needle circle.. 354 In the use of existing types of yarn changers for such machines, it is necessary to substantially slow down the machine when each change of yarn is taking place. 'Ihis not only slows down production, but involves the provision of driving mechanism which is subject to considerable Wear due to the numerous changes that must take place. In accordance with the present invention, there is eliminated the necessity for slowing down the machine because the yarns `are presented to the needles quickly and accurately by means of light mechanism independent of the heavier yarn fingers, which are permitted to have relatively slow movements consistent with their weight.

It will be obvious, however, that thel yarn changing mechanism is adapted for use in other cases in which it is either impossible or undesirable to provide clamping and cutting mechanism within the needle circle, for example in the case of knitting machines equipped with machine of the superposed cylinder type showing the various Velements for controlling yarn changes;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of such machine partly in section showing primarily the selecting devices;

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of certain details showing the mounting and actuating means for the `yarn fingers;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the vari- A ous elements associated with the yarn fingers to introduce the yarns to the needles together with the actuating means therefor, certain parts being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing somewhat diagrammatically the elements for controlling the yarns during their presentation and removal from the needles;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation showing the y clamping and cutting devices used in the present yarn changing mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of certain controlling devices for the yarn changing mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing certain of the elements of Fig. 7 in an alternative "position;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation showing the cooperation of the cam follower and cams of Figs. 'I and 8; and

Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, are enlarged perspective views showing successive steps in a yarn changing operation.

Rotatable in the frame of the machine, which may be of the superposed cylinder type illustrated in the above mentioned Bentley patent, is a main drive shaft 250 to the end of which is fastened a bevel gear (not shown), which drives, through a cooperating bevel gear,.the lower needle cylinder. 'Ihe upper needle cylinder is driven in unison with the lower. one by means of a vertical shaft and appropriate gearing. This type of drive is fully illustrated and `described in the patent to P. A. Bentley No. 1,722,889, dated July 30, 1929, to which reference may be made for details. The driving of the needle cylinders forms no part of the present invention.

It is sumcient to indicate only that certain of the parts concerned with the present invention are driven by the shaft 250 in timed relationship with the needle cylinders.

A second shaft 25I is driven by shaft 250 through gears 252 and 253 of equal size. Both of these shafts revolve at the same rate of speed as the needle cylinders. A third shaft 254 is revolved at half the speed of the needle cylinders through gearsv 255 and 256. Revolving on a stud in the frame of the machine is a ratchet wheel 251 to which is attached a sprocket wheel carryl5 ing the main pattern chain 12, which carries lugs 13 of ve different heights, as will'be pointed out in greater detail hereafter. A pawl 258 is pivoted to a bell crank 259 which rocks on a stud 260 in the machine frame and is provided with a follower roller 26| which, through the action of spring'262, ismade to follow a double-lobed cam 263 on shaft 254 which causes the pawl 258 to advance the pattern chain at each revolution of the needle cylinders. As will be hereafter more fully described, the pattern chain controls the selection of yarns.

Fastened to the top bed plate of the machine is a bracket-6 which carries the yarn changing mechanism, including the five yarn fingers I, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Theseyarn ngers are mounted in bearing blocks at 1 and 8 and slide toward and away from the feeding position adjacent the needle cylinders, -the feeding position of a finger being indicated by the active finger 4 in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 10.. Associated individually with the fingers are -identical bell crank levers-9, III, I I, I2 and I3, which are pivoted concentrically with each other and. which engage downturned ends of the lingers as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, When these levers are moved in a counter-clockwise` direction they withdraw their respective fingers from active position to which they ,are urged by compression springs I4, I5, I6, I1 and I8. AThese springs surround the fingers and serve to -move their corresponding fingers into yarnfeeding position when the various bell crank levers holding Y them out of action are released.

Associated with the five bell crank levers 9 to I3 are five identical detent levers indicated at 23, each of which is arranged to cooperate with one of the bell cranks. The various detent levers 23 are pivoted at I9 and are urged by springs 28 against an adjustable eccentric stop pin 29. 'I'he detents are arranged Yto engage the ends of the ybell crank levers after the levers have been moved to withdraw their respective yarn iingers whereby the yarn lingers are retained in inactive position against the actions of their springs.

Two rods 30 and 3l are "slidably mounted in bearings in the bracket 6 and carry a frame 32 to which .they are pinned. This frame carries five levers 31 pivoted upon a shoulder screw 38 secured to the frame, which levers embrace a vstop pin 39 so that their swing is restricted to a 'small arc. Springs 44 -urge the ievers 31 in a counter-clockwise directionaganst the stop pin 39, which is located so as to cause the pointed ends 54 of the levers to align with notches 43 in the rbell crank levers. The frame 32 is normally held in a forward position by the engagement of an adjustable headed latehing screw 45 mounted on a yarn change selector lever 46 withY a projection 41 on the frame 32. This selector lever 46 is pivoted on a screw 20 fastened in the bracket 6. jWhenever a yarn change is to take place, the

latching screw 45 is raised and the frame 32 may then be moved back by a spring 333 (Fig. 7) to be later positively advanced by means hereafter described. Mounted on each of the detent levers 23 is a latch 43 pivoted thereto at 49 and held by a spring 50 against a stop pin 5I.

The five levers 31 are identical, each having three extensions indicated at 52, 53 and 54, the last of which is pointed, as previously described. The extensions 52 may be engaged by a selector cam 55 adjustably mounted on the selector lever 46, such engagement taking place when the frame 32 carrying the levers 31 is moved backward.` The operating lever thus engaged is swung in'a clockwise direction against the pull of its spring 44. 'Ihis placesits shoulder 53 in position to engage tlie latch 48 and as the lever. 31 continues to move backward its shoulder 53 engages the latch and swings it about its pivot in a counterclockwise direction and passes behind it so that no movement is imparted to the corresponding detent lever 23. However, on the forward movement the shoulder 53 again engages the latch Y 48, which is now restrained from swinging clockwise by the stop pin 5I with the result that the:

detent lever 23 will be swungin a clockwise direction far enough for it to disengage the corresponding bell crank lever which it has been holding. The corresponding yarn finger will then be snapped by means of its springinto feeding posi- Y tion. The cam 55 is arranged with 'respect to the extensions 52 so that it is not cleared byv these extensions when the frame 32 reaches its most backward position.. As the `operating, lever 31 continues to move forwardly,v the extension 52 passes beyond the selector, cam55, after which. unless (another yarnchan'gey is to take place in the next vcourse of knitting, the selector lever falls, to its lowest position permitting the latch screw 45 to hold the framey 32 together with the operating levers in the forward position. Meanwhile the operating lever 31 last selected lies against the end of the corresponding belllcrank lever. When anotherselection is made and the levers moved back to their furthest extent, the lever 31, which is not again selected, is moved counter-clockwise by its spring `44 against the stop pin 39 and comes intoalig'nment with', the notch in its bell crank lever so that, on the frward movement, its extension 54 will kengage this notch and rotate the bell crank lever, thereby withdrawing the corresponding yarn iing'er from feeding position. As this bell crank lever reaches theend of its movement, its end engages'detent lever 23, rst swinging itv to the right and then passing slightly beyond its shoulder with the re-v sult that the detent lever lmoves back into position to engage and retain the (bell crank leverand thus hold its correspondingyarnv finger in inoperative position. Y

As`it is desirable that each ofthe ve. yarn v fingers should feed from substantially the same position, it is necessary, in making a yarn change, to partially withdraw the feeding finger before snapping another ,into vthe position previously yoccupied by that linger. As a consequence, `the operating parts are so designed that as the frame 32 moves forward after having completed the backward movement, the operating lever 31 which is associated with the active yarnnger /engages its Vbell crank lever and withdraws its finger a substantial distance before the newly'selccted operating lever trips its detent to permit the finger which it controls to snap into feeding position. As thengers must pass into and out'of action without striking each other, their yarn feeding ends are made to follow separate paths. These paths are controlled by means of slots 40 in a plate 56, which slots embrace pins4l extending from T-shaped pieces 42 into which the two portions of each of the yarn fingers are threaded.

The slots 40 are shaped as indicated in Fig. 3,

which shapesindicate the paths followed by the yarn finger ends. The middle finger 3 moves in a straight line. The lower fingers I and 2, as they move back, travel for a short distance in straight lines but then move down and backwardly and finally straightY back. The upper fingers 4 and 5 move upwardly'instead of downwardly during their backward movements. Each of the yarn fingers is made of two bent rods which, by adjustment in the T-shaped pieces 42 in which they are held by lock nuts, may be finely adjusted and held in such adjusted positions. Screws 51, 58, 59, and 6| serve as stops for the five bell crank levers andaccordingly for the yarn ngers. Individual finger adjustments in and out are made by turning these screws, which are held in adjusted positions by clampqscrews.

The means for advancing the frame 32 and the ve operating levers 31 carried thereby to effect a change of yarns will be clear from a consideration of Figs. 7 to 9. Fastened to the shaft 25| which rotates once for each revolution of the needlecylinders, is a cam carrier 20| on which are mounted two cams 68,and 69. The cam 69 has a thin portion 690 and a thick portion 69|, while the cam 68 is secured to the cam 69 against the thinportion 690 thereof and forms, at its rearmost portion, a. continuation of the thicker portion 69|, as Will be clear from a consideration of Fig.-9. The cam 68 extends as indicated in the figures beyond the forward portion of the cam 69 and carries a roller withdrawing cam 10. The cam arrangement just described imparts movement to the frame 32 by means of a doublearmed lever 202 pivoted at 203 to the frame of the machine. The lower arm of this lever carries a roller lever 64 pivoted to it at 65 and urged by a spring 61 reacting between an eccentric post and the upright arm of lever 202 in a clockwise direction to cause the roller 204 carried by the lever 64 to move inwardly to ride at proper times the portion 690 of the cam 69. Movements of the lever 64 are limited by means of a shoulder screw 66 projecting through an enlarged opening in the lever 64. An adjustable screw 1| is carried by the outer end of the lever 64 to be engaged bythe cam 10 at certain times. The upper end of the lever 202 carries a screw 62 designed to abut .a pin 63extending from the frame 32. The adjustment at 62 is made such that when the roller 204 is on the high part of the cams 68 and 69, the carriage 32 is advanced suiiiciently to cause the bell cranks 9 to I3 to clear the shoulders of the detents 23.

If the machine is running with one yarn being fed through' a series of courses, then during about half of each of those courses the frame 32 rests in its forward position, being retained therein by engagement of the projection 41 with the head of screw 45 carried by theselector arm 46. Under such conditions the lever 202 remains in such position, due to the weight of the lower arm and the parts carried thereby, that the screw 62 remains in engagement with the pin 63. The roller 204 is then in such position relative to the shaft f 25| that the screw 1| will not be engaged by the cam 10. As a result of this, the spring 61 holds the roller in position to be engaged by the high portion 692 of the thin portion 690 of cam 69. When the roller is engaged by cam portion 692, the lever 202 will be rocked slightly counterclockwise, moving the frame 32 to such extent as to provide a slight 'clearance between projection 41 and latch 45.A This action is illustrated in Fig. 7. The clearance so produced will be maintained until the roller 204 can ride off the trailing end of cam- 69 whereupon the frame 32 settles back under the action of spring 333 to re-engage projection 41 with latch 45. So long as no yarn change is to be effected, this slight movement of the frame 32 occurs in the formation of each course without effecting any results except a slight movement of the bell cranks 9 to i3 which correspond to inactive yarn fingers.

The purpose of this action is to free the lever 46 so that no restraint is offered to its movement by one of the lugs 13 on the pattern chain. It isv just after the high point 692 engages the roller 204 that the action of a lug on the follower 14 of lever 115 takes place to raise, through the medium of link 18, the lever 46 to an extent determined by the height of the pattern lug. It may be noted that overrun of the lever 46 is prevented by a stop screw engageable with a fixed lug on the frame 6.

When the selector lever 46 is elevated by the rather sudden action of a lug 13 on follower 14, it invariably overruns and vibrates. The maintenance of separation between 45 and 41 through substantially a half vrevolution of cam 25| gives the lever 46 and its cam 55 sufficient time to settle into a position of rest before any projection 52 of a lever 31 moves back to engage it.

When a select-ion takes place, the lever 46 rises to a predetermined position depending upon the height of the ,lug 13 and then. as the roller 204 passes off the end of cam 69, the frame 32 is moved backwardly by spring 333, causing one of the extensions 52 to engage the cam 55, which willat thisy time` havey come definitely to rest. The lever 202 will now be rocked by the spring 333 so that its roller 204 moves inwardly, following the trailing end of cam 69 until the limit of outward' movement of the frame 32 is reached by the engagement of roller' 204 with the lowest point of the cam 69. The fingers 31 now effect the results described above on their outward movement. As the rotation of shaft 25| pro- ,ceeds, the roller 204 will now ride up the forward extension of cam 68, causing the frame 32 to move forwardly. The roller 204 will remain in its inner position in which it would engage portion 690 of cam 69 uritil the cam 10 engages screw 1|, whereupon the lever 64 will be rocked outwardly,

moving the roller 204 into an outward position in which it will fail to be engaged by the portion 690 of cam 69 and consequently will continue to follow the active edge of cam 6B, finally attaining its outermost position at 680 corresponding to the location of the frame 32 in its extreme forward position. The effect of the action of cam 10 upon pin 1| will be clear from Fig. 8. in which the cam carrier 20| is shown in the same angular position as in Fig. 'l' but the parts are indicated in the relationship they take when a selection occurs. When the roller 204 reaches 680, it will be obvious that it can again move inwardly under the action of spring 61. If no selection is to take place in the next course, a plain link of the chain 12 will pass under the follower 14 and consequently the arm 46 will drop, bringing the cam 55 below the lowermost level of any cfr/the levers 31 and also bringing the screw head 45 into position to be engaged by projeceffected.

The selector lever 46 normally rests upon a stop screw 19 with its latch 45 engaged with projection 41 and with theselector cam 55 below the lowest operating lever 31K When any one of the five heights of chain lugs 13 rides under follower 14, the selector cam 55 is elevated to select the corresponding operating lever. When a pattern lug passes from under the follower 14, a spring 264 lowers the selector lever 46. The selector cam 55 is purposely made as thick as possible without permitting it to engage more than one operating lever at a time, so that theselected positions will not need to be too exact. The link 18 is made in the form of a. turn buckle so as to provide adjustment. In order to secure a strong arrangement in view of the considerable distance between the cam 55 and the pivot 20 of lever 46, an eccentric 8| is threaded into the end of latch 45 and is arranged to engage a bearing plate 83 secured to the frame, the eccentric being held in adjusted position by a lock nut 82 (Fig. 1). From the foregoing it will be seen-that by setting up the proper pattern lugs 13 in different ways, the yarn ngers may be made to go into feeding position in the desired sequence, the fingers going into and out of action without interference with each other. It will be noted that a yarn linger which is inaction will be withdrawn `to a considerable extent before another nger is snapped into action by the tripping of a detent 23. The changes thus effected take place comparatively slowly throughout thel rise of the cam 68, which is so gradual that quite heavy parts may be moved readily'without excessive vibration and failure to assume definite positions. Obviously, however, means must be provided for causing the yarns to go into andout of action on definite needles, and there will now be described the elements associated with the yarn fingers and their comparatively slow changing means to insure that precise insertion and removal of the yarns may be effected.

Mounted `on the bracket 6 is an auxiliary bracket 84 to which is fastened a stationary shear Yblade 85. A movable shear blade 86 is pivoted on a screw 81 andis held in contact with the stationary blade by means of a fiat spring 88 mounted between it and the head of screw 81. Underlying the rearwardly extendingv arm of the movable blade 86 is an L-shaped yarn clamping lever 89 pivoted at 90. This yarn clamping lever 89 is faced with leather at 890, where it is adapted to bear against a serrated plate 9|, between which plate and the leather facing the inactive-yarns are to be clamped. The leather facing of the clamp 89 sinks into the serrations in the plate 9|, crinkling the yarns and affording a more positive clamp. A strong spring 92 operating on the shear blade 86 serves the dual purpose of closing the shears to cut yarns and exerting a tension on the yarn clamping lever 89.

'grooved, or serrated, yarn clamping plate Sil carries an L-shaped fiat spring clamp 96 (Fig. 1) which is fastened bya screw 91. The free arm f of this clamp is split to form a forked end with the two resulting portions resting in adjacent grooves of the plate 9|. The ends extend slightly beyond the edge of the plate 9| and are upturned, as indicated mostclearly in'Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, to engagea yarriwhich is going out of action.` 'I'his light spring clamp serves'as a y yarn retaining clamp when the main clamp 89 is open to permit yarns to enter or leave. The yarn clamp 89 has a downwardly extending arm below its pivot 90. A lever 93 pivoted at 94 carries a pin in which is secured Vanadjustable screw 95 bearing against this downward extension ofthe clamp. The lever 93, when rocked counter-clockwise, opens the clamp 89 and also the shears against the pull of spring 92. f

'I'he clamp and cutter operating lever 93 carries at one end a lever 98 which is pivoted at 99 and is urged against a stop pin |00 by a spring |0|. Pivoted on the main bracket 6 at |02 is a fourarmed lever 03. One arm |04 of this lever carries an adjustable screw |05 which bears against the inner end of rod 3|. A spring |06 keeps screw |05 in contact with rod 3| as it moves backward and then forward, whereby lever |03 isoscillated about its pivot |02. On an arm |01 of lever |03 is mounted a cam |08. When the lever |03 is moved by rod 3| in a clockwise direction, the cam |08 will engage the lever 98 on the lever'93 through which, because lever- 98 engages pin |00, the lever 93 will be rocked to open the clamp and cutter and then, as cam |08 passesbeyond the lever 98, will be freed so that spring 92 may eiect `the clamping and cutting of the outgoingl yarn. On the other hand, as lever |03 moves inthe opposite direction when rod 3| moves backwardly prior to a change of yarn, the cam |08 swings the lever 98 against the action of light spring I0| and passes it, imparting no movement to the lever 93. A stop 305 engages a lug on lever -93 to restrict its movementin a clockwise direction.

In view of the comparatively slow action ofthe yarn fingers referred to above, there are provided light means for eiecting quick shifts of the yarns to secure accurate insertion and withdrawal of the yarns to and from definite needles. For

actuating these last named means, there is mounted on the supplementary bracket 84 a three-armed lever |09 which is pivoted at ||0 on a horizontal axis. Clamped in the tcp and bottom of this .lever are pins and |2, which will be respectively referred to as upper and lower provide between them a space within which the yarns move in going into and out of action. The lever |09 carries a stop screw |4 which normally engages the frame to hold the lever |09 in an extreme clockwise position to which it is urged by spring ||5. Under these conditions the lower blocking pin |2 extends upwardly through a slot |9| in clamp plate 9| and beyond the under surface of the yarn guarding plate |3, as indicated in Fig. 5. The lever |09 is rocked during a yarn change about its pivot a sufficient distance to cause the end of the lower pin ||2 to pass below the upper surface of the clamp plate 9| and bring the end of the upper pin which is positioned in overlapping relationship with, and close to the end of, the lower pin ||2, down within the slot |9| in the plate 9|. The rocking of the lever |09 is caused by a'screw ||6 having a rounded head acting as a cam and riding under a levez` ||8 pivoted at ||9 to the blocking pin lever 95. The lever |`|8 functions somewhat similarly to the lever 98 previously described, being` urged by a spring against a stop pin I2I so .that as the screw I I6 passes to the right as indicated in Fig. 5 it will rock the lever ||8 against the light spring |20 and pass it, whereas, in moving in the opposite direction, it will engage the lever I I8, which is now backed up by the pin |2I, andthereby effect a counter-clockwise rotation of the lever |09. The screw IIB is 'carried by one of the arms ||1 of the lever |03. The blocking pins and ||2, theoperation of which will be more fully described hereafter, are provided to maintain a yarn in a. substantially constant, feeding position as its nger is being retracted until after a new yarn has been introduced.

When a yarn nger is tripped into feeding position, its yarn extends from the feeding eye to the main clamp 89 and this extended portion of the ,yarn is not close enough to the kneedles to be engaged by them. A yarn placer is accordingly provided whichengages the yarn of any finger which has been tripped into feeding position and extends it to a point close enough to the needle cylinders to enable the needle latches which are being closed by the knitting loops at this point to seize it. It makes no difference whether needles are knitting in the upper or rib cylinder or in the lower cylinder or, alternately, in both. Any one of them is capable of seizing the yarn as it is swung over to them. The yarn placer comprises a fiat lever |22 which is reduced in width at its freel end terminating in a hook |92 for engaging the yarn which is to go into action. The lever |22 is pivoted at |23 in a lever |24 which swings about a pivot screw` |25 secured in the bracket 84. A spring |21 normally holds the lever |2I|4 against a'stop screw |28 (Fig. l). A lever |28 pivoted at |3| in bracket 84 is provided with four extensions. The lever |28 is normally held by a spring |32,so that a stop screw |33 in one of the extensions rests against 'a lug formed on the bracket 84. On another extension of lever |28 is a screw |34 whichis adapted, when lever |28 is swung in a, counter-clockwise direction, to contact with lever |24 to swing it'and the placer |22 in a clockwise direction. An adiustable stop screw |35 limits the swing of lever |24 and thereby the placer hook |92.

0n a third extension of lever |28 vis secured a cam` |29 having two active arms which embrace the placer |22 above its pivot |23. When lever |28 is in the normal position mentioned above, cam |29 holds the hook |92 which is posi l tioned behind the yarn guard ||3 upso that it is above the level of the under side ofthis yarn guard. When lever |28 is swung, screw |34 moves ashort distance before contacting with lever |24 to swing lever |24 and placer |22. The initial movement of lever |28 before this contact takes 0 place permits the cam |29 to force theijfialacer hook |92 straight downwardly intoengagfment lwith screw |35 before it is swung laterally-to engage the ingoing yarn. The hook is held against the adjustable stop screw |36 by the light spring |31 as the lateral swing takes place and it moves out 'of control of 4cam |29. The adjustment of this 'stop screw |36 alters the height of the placer hook'and the adjustment may be made so that the yarn is presented to the closing needle latches at the proper level. When the lever |28 returns to normal position, the cam |29 again engages the placer and elevates its hooked end. It is preferable to move the placer hook |92 straight down before it swings laterally so as to be certain that the hook is down to the yarn engaging level before the yarn is-engaged in the lateral swing.

On the fourth extension of lever |28 is a lever |38 pivoted at |39 and normally held by a spring |40 against a stop pin |4|. A cam |42 on an upper arm of the operating lever |03 engages the lever |38 to rock its Vlever |28 to thereby swing the placer4 I 22 when lever |03 is moved forward by rod 3|. On the backward movement of lever |03 the cam |42 may swing the lever |38 against the action of light spring |40 without imparting any movement to the lever |28.

It will be noted that the rise of the cam 63 is not uniform but is stepped as clearly indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. These steps are so arranged and the cams |08 and |42 and screws IIB, |05 and 62 accurately adjusted that the operations of the variousv parts just described occur in closely g timed relationship to secure the proper sequential cate successive stepsl in the effecting of a. yarn change, which steps take place in extremely rapid succession in the operation of the machine. The parts which must have accurate movements, however, are so light that despite the rapidity with which the various actions follow each other, the proper vsequence is always followed to secure an accurate yarn change on the desired needles.

The various figures, with the exception of 8 and 11 to 14, inclusive, are consistent with the normal feeding of a yarn from finger 4 to the needles. The finger 4 occupies the position illustrated particularly in Figs. l, 4 and 10, the yarn extending therefrom tangentially to the circle of needles N to be seized by the hooks of needles in either the upper or lower cylinder. The yarn so extending will clear the lower blocking pin H2.

During such feeding of the yarn the frame 32 will be held in its forward position by the latch screw 45 on the selector lever 45 engaging the projection 41, the lever 46 being in its lowermost position. Upon each revolution of the cylinder,

however, at the proper time as determined by cam rise 692, the carriage will be moved slightly further forwardly, providing a clearance between latch 45 and projection 41 but effecting no other material condition. The bell crank I2 corresponding to yarn finger 4 will be in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 resting against its stop 80, whereby the finger is held in properly adjusted vforward position. The lever 31 corresponding to the bell crank I2 will rest against the bell crank as illustrated in Fig. 1, being urged into such position byits spring 44. The remaining levers 31 will rest within the notches 43 of their corresponding bell cranks, which are held to retract their yarn fingers by latches 23. The clamp 89 and the cutter will be closed,.the idle yarns being clamped by 89 and also being located beneath the tines of the spring clamp-98.

Assuming that the finger 5 is to be brought into action and the nger 4 out of action, the condition existing in Fig. '1 will be rst attained, namely, the roller 204 will ride upon the high portion 692 of cam .69, producing a clearance between latch 45 and projection 41. Immediately after Ithis clearance is provided, a. lug of the greatest height on the pattern chain will ride under the follower portion 14 of lever 15, rocking the selector lever 46 upwardly to bring the cam 55 to the level of the uppermost lever 31. As mentioned previously, this action is followed by a dwell in the selecting parts to give the cam 55 timeto come to rest in the position determined by the .lug on the pattern chain, this dwell occuring until the roller 204 starts down the trailing slope ofV cam 69. As the roller'204 foll lows thetrailing slope of the cam, the lever 202y is forced clockwise by the spring 333 secured to the frame 32 and the frame with its associated levers moves outwardly .to make a rearward stroke. l

During this rearward stroke the lever ends |08 and |42 and the pin .I I6 pass `the yielding levers 98, |38 and |I8 as the leverv |03 follows the rod 3| under the action of spring I 06. The levers 3'I move back with the frame 32. The lever 3lv corresponding to theyarniinger 4 Awill pass the yielding lever 48 without tripping its detent lever The roller 204V willnow begin to rise up the.

sloper68, moving the frame 32 forwardly. In going up the slope 68, the pin 'II will engage the cam 10 just before the roller vreaches the initial rise of camn69 with the result that the roller will be forced outwardly and will fail to engage the cam 59 and so continue to followV the rise of cam 88.

The'rst event in the forward *movement* of. the frame 32 consists of the engagement o f the 40'end of the second lever 31 within the notchV 43 of bell crank I2, causing the bell crank to be rotated counter-clockwise to start withdrawal of the yarn nger 4. As theffinger 4 moves rearwardly, its yarn feeding end will rise upwardlyV dueto the -cam slot 40 and the iinger will then continue to move in a straight linerearwardly. This movement gets it out of the path of the iinger 5 which is to be'introduced. Asthe iinger 4 moves rearwardly and upwardly, its yarn will` be drawn about the blocking pin II2 andvupwardly against the'yarn guarding fingerv ||3, which, yas stated previously, overlaps the pin II2 when the latter is in its uppermost position. The

blocking pin II2 is Aonly slightly outward oi'l the needle cylinder as compared with the feedingr position of the yarn iinger 4 (and the otherfyarn lingers) and consequently the yarn will continue to feed to the needle circle to be taken by the needles. As the movement of frame 32 continues, the projection 53 on the uppermostnger 3'I'will engage the lever 48, which is now backed up by pin 5I and eiectively becomes a unitary part of its carrying 1atch'23.v Before the projection 52 clears the cam 55, the uppermost latch 23 will be swung to the right, clearingthe bell crank I3 and permitting-the spring I8 to snap the finger 5 forwardlyr and then downwardly to the normal yarn feeding position.` The uppervmost ringer 31 will thereafter clear the cam 55 and be swung to the left by its spring 44 to'rest against the right hand face of the bell crank I3. It will be noted that as soon *as the cam 55 is cleared by the portion 52 of a lever 3l, it may then be again selectively moved by a lug 'I3 on the pattern chain to possiblyeect another yarn change in the next cycle of operation.

so that lits yarn is carried about the blocking pin I I2 while the yarn to the iinger 5 will pass about the rear ofthe blocking pin II2 extendingfrom the clamp 89. g There'isa dwell ron the rise of cam 68 at this time to permit the introduced linger to settlein its new position.

As the frame 32 moves forwardly upon continued rise ofthe cam 68, the lever |03 is rocked [clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1'.Y Engagement of the lever end |42 with lever |38 now takes place, and since I 38 is backed up by pin `|4|, its carrying lever |28 Vis rocked counter-clockwise". In the rst portion of` this rocking vmovement the cam |29 forces the placer iinger |22 downward so that this finger is depressed from its previous position to the position indicated in construction lines in Fig. 12,'in which itshook |92 is lo-` cated slightly below the level of the clamp plate 9|. YThereafter the screw I34'engages lever |24 and causes itto rock clockwise so that the placer engages .the yarn from finger 5 and carries it y forwardly as illustrated in Fig. l2.

Before the placer hook |92` attains its most forward position, namely, just about the time it has attained the position indicated in Fig. 12, the

pin I|8 acts uponlever ||8 now backed up by pin |2| on the blocking pin carrier |09. As a result, a quick downward movement of the blocking pins |I2and III takes place. The pin ||2 in dropping below the levelof the clamp plate 9| clears the yarns from both ngers 4 and 5. The yarn' from ilnger l accordinglyextends directly be- Y tween the eye oi' the iinger and the placerhook |92, whiley the yarn from the` withdrawing finger 4 extends about the blocking pin and'thence to the needles, and continues to feed in a substantially normal manner. y

yThe placerhook |92 now reachesits forwardmost position (Fig. A13.) and causes the yarn from iing'er 5 to be engaged by the needles. The clamp 89 should not release the ingoing yarn from'flnger 5 until after the yarn has been yseized by the iirst needle .with which it is engaged and carried down into the fabric to form the first loop of that yarn. If the clamp is opened too soon, the yarn is vlikely to be pulled' sidewise lout of thespring clamp 96, drawing other inactive yarnsl out with it. By slightlydelaying the openingof the clamp 89 until the` time' just indicated, a slack loop is formed by the ingoing yarn, which is taken up as the needle which first engaged it travelsaround with the cylinders. with thev result that the end of the ingoing yarn is drawn out of the rear of the pinch clamp 96 without appreciably displacing the otheryarns held therein. The opening of the clamp is quite critical, since if it is opened too late, the ingoing yarn will be broken olf.

'I'he yarn from the withdrawing finger 4 has snapped backwardly over the upper end of thel pin II2 but engages the blocking pin III which vnow projects into the slot ISI of the clamp plate 9|. It continuesfto feed several needles beyond the one on which the new yarn has been entered, producing the necessary overlap. y

Practically simultaneously with the opening of the main clamp 89 and, of course, the cutter blade' 86, the blocking pins are swung upwardly as the screw |I6 clears lever IIBand the yarn from finger 4 snaps rearwardly to occupy the most direct position between the last needle with which it is engaged beneath the guard ||I and the now substantially fully retracted finger I. If the placery hook |92 was in its lowered and forward position, it would be engaged by the withdrawing yarn and impede its withdrawal. Since itis practically impossible to cause it to move rearwardly out of the way to avoid this movement, it is so arranged that in the very beginning of its withdrawing movement it will engage the' uppersurface of the opened clamp `89 and be cammed upwardly thereby against the tensionof spring |31. The withdrawing yarn accordingly passes beneath it and it ultimately i reaches its initial rest position which brings its 15 hook end above the guard H3.

The position attained by the withdrawing yarn. as indicated above, causes it to extend between the cutting blades under the tines of the spring clamp 496 beneath which it passes due to engagement bythe projecting upturned ends of the tines and also extends beneath the clamp I9 as indicated in Fig.` 14. Immediately thereafter the lever end Y| 08 clears the lever 98. permitting the clamp to snap shut and the cutter to sever the outgoing yarn the end of which is thereafter held by bothspring clamp '98 and the clamp leverl 89. i t The carriage 32 then reaches its extreme i'orward position causing the bell crank i2 corresponding to finger 4 to pass beyond `its latch 2! to be later held thereby. If no selection of yarn isV to be made in the formation of the nextI course, all of the parts are then lin their normal positions and as the roller rides down the Vtrailing end of cam 69 over which it snaps after it reachesthe position 680, the frame 32 will be retained against another rearward movement by engagement of the latch I5 with projection 41. On the other hand, if the selector 40 armlii has in the meantime assumed a position to effect another yarn change, the cycle just described is repeated to introduce -the newly'selected yarn. v

It will' be noted from the above that due to 45 the downward and then upward movementsof the blocking pins and H2, there is a slight interval during which both the incoming and outgoing yarns are being takenby the needles. This producesrthe necessary overlap of a few 50 needles to produce knitting continuity.

One of the important features of this yarn changer is the fact that unlike changers heretofore used, the yarn finger movement has nothing whatever to do with determining the needle on 55 which a yarn is to enter or the needle on which it is to leave. Regardless of which finger is going into action, the yarn is always carried to the same needle by the same element, namely, the placer |22, and likewise, regardless of which o-ngeris being moved from feeding position. the yarn always leaves at the same needle, being controlled by the same element, namely, the blocking pin The placer |22 and the two blocking pins which control all the successive events 65 in the yarn replacements are extremely light and, due to their actuation by the tripping of various elements by thelever |03, are moved with great rapidity so that, despite the continued high speed of the needle cylinder, the replacements take 70 place with great accuracy, the yarn change laps having a constant width and being on the same wales, with the result that a more pleasing appearance is provided. Adjustments of the various cam ends |42 and |08, screw IIB, screw |05,

75 etc., provide for the necessary ne adjustment to secure precisely the sequence of events and overlap which are desired.

It has been found that the upper block pin I may possibly be omitted and that nevertheless overlap can be secured through the precise actuation of the placer finger |22. However, greater accuracy is secured by depending upon movement of placer |22 to determine the precise instant at which yarn is taken by a predetermined needle and by depending upon the rise of blocking pin I Ii to determine the precise withdrawal of the outgoing yarn from a subsequent needle,

It will be obvious that various details of construction may be changed without departing fromv the scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. In a circular knittingmachine, in combination, needles, a yarn fingerl adapted to feed a Vyarn to the needles from a feeding position, means for withdrawing said yarn finger from its feeding position outwardly and forwardly with respect to the needle rotation relativetorits feeding position, and yarn controlling meansadapted to,` maintain said yarn in substantially normal feeding relationship with theneedles as its finger is being so withdrawn. y

2. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a plurality of yarn fingers each being adapted to feed a yarn to the needles from approximatelythe same feeding position, means for substituting and withdrawing said yarn fingers selectively in and from said feeding position in varbitrary order, and yarn controlling means adapted to maintain each of said yarns in substantially normal feedingrelationship with the needles as its nger is being withdrawn irrespective of the finger being substituted therefor.

3. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a plurality of yarn ngers each being adapted to feed a yarn to the needles from approximately the same feeding position, means for so withdrawing said fingers from said feeding position that their yarn feeding ends move in different paths to clear each other, andyarn controlling means adapted to maintain e'ach of said yarns in substantially normal feeding relationship with the needles as its finger is being withdrawn. v

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a plurality of yarn fingerseach being adapted to feed a yarn to the needles from approximately the same feeding position, means for substituting and withdrawing said yarn fingers selectively in and from said feeding position in arbitrary order, and yarn controlling *means adapted to maintain each of said yarns in substantially normal feeding relationship with the needles as its finger is being withdrawn irrespective of the ilnger being substituted therefor, and subsequently to release said yarn so that it is no longer fed to the needles.

5. In a `circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to said needles, a yarn clamp for holding the inactive yarns, yarn controlling means adapted to maintain a yarn in feeding relationship with the needles when its finger is being withdrawn, yarn nger operating means adapted Arst to withdraw a finger from feeding position and then i to insert another finger in said feeding position while said yarn controlling means is maintaining the active yarn `infeeding relationship with the needles, a yarn placer adapted to engage the yarn extending from the newly introduced finger to the clamp and carry it over to the needles, and

means for so manipulating the yarn controlling means that it will not interfere with the yarn being presented to the needles.

6. In a circular knitting' machine, in combination, needles, yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to said needles, la yarn clamp for holding: the inactive yarns, yarn controlling means adapted to maintain a yarn in feeding relationship with the needles when its finger is being withdrawn, yarn finger operating means adapted first to withdraw a finger from feeding position and then to insert another finger in said feeding position while said yarn controlling means is maintaining the active yarn in feeding relationship with the needles'ayarn placer adaptedvto engage the yarn extending `from the-newlyintroducedfinger to the clamp and carry it over tothe needles,'and means'ior so manipulating the yarn controlling means thatitwill not interferewitlr the yarn being presented to the needles and willfsubsefluently release the `outgoing yarn after the newly introduced yarn hasy been engaged by the needles. 7. In a `circularknitting machine, in combination, needles, yarn fingers adapted'to feed yarns to said needles, selective? meanslfor` withdrawing fingers from and `insertingthem in yarn feeding position in 'arbitrary sequence and means acting on the 'yarns betweenv saidV fingers and said needles to control saldi yarns .toy introduce them on a' certain one 'of the needles and to withdraw them from-another -certainione 0l'v the needles.'r

4 acting on the yarns between the'fingers and needles to control thev yarns feeding from said fingers 'to engage them with a certainv one of the needles'and to' withdraw themfrom a certain one of said-needles. e 1 9. `In a circular knitting machine,in combination, needles, kyarn fingers adapted to be'moved into and outv of feeding relationshipvwithythe needlesin arbitrary selective sequence land means 50 independent of said fingers and said yneedles and acting on the yarns betweenthe fingersand "needles to Acontrol, the Ayarns feeding from said fingers to engage them with aA certain Voneof the needles and to withdraw them' from' a certain 55 one of said needles, so that the' yarn change laps extendacross thesame needle wales.`l l

10; I n a circular knitting machine, in cornbination; needles, yarn fingers movable'into and out, of yarn feeding position, means to so move 60 the fingers including operators, one for each finger, which move in unison with eachother whenl a yarn changefis to take place, each operatorsadapted to be positioned to either move its respective yarn finger into feeding' position or 65 out of feeding position, and means for selectively positioning the operators prior lto their saiti movements. j 11. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a plurality of yarn ngers adapted" 70 to feed yarns to the needles, yarn fingerA operating means, means for clamping inactive yarns, and means for controlling the feed of vyarns to the needles, said ',last'means comprising a plurality of pins successively active to maintain an out- 75 going yarn in feeding relationship to the needles ,e

s. In a circular'kmtnng niacmn'e, in combina-l for a predetermined period following beginning of withdrawal of its finger. L

12. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a plurality of yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, yarn finger operating means, means for clamping inactive yarns, and means for controlling the feed of yarns to the needles, said last means comprising a plurality of overlapping pins rsuccessively active to'maintain an outgoing yarnin feeding relationship rto the needles for a predetermined period following beginning of withdrawal of its finger. ,113. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a i' plurality of` yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, yarn finger operating means, means forclamping inactive yarns, and-means for controlling thefeed of yarns to the needles, said last means comprising a plurality of pinsjarranged across the pathsv of incoming and outgoing'yarns, one of ,said pins being closer to the needles than thefother, and

means/for lactuating said. pins ,to successively 1 A cause the first pinto release the incoming yarn to feeding position and the outgoing yarn to an innerk position in engagement with the lsecond pin to continue to feed to the needles andthen cause the second pin to release theoutgoingyarnto cause its'withdrawalfrom the needles.1

r14; In a-circular knittingmachine, in combina-l tion, needles, yarn fingers adaptedV to feed yarns to the needles, a movable carriage, yarn finger controlling elements, individual to the fingers, mounted on said carriage, spring means for moving vsaid carriage, and a `member alternatively operable to hold saidv carriage againstmovel ment by the spring means or toV selectively control said elements during such carriagel movement to-effect a yarn change. i t

k,15. vIn a circular knittingmachine, in combination, needles.. yarn vfingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, Va movable carriage, yarn finger controlling elements, individual to the fingers, mounted on said carriage, a cam follower lever for controlling'imovements of the carriage, and cam means for alternatively yactuating said lever to produce either slight movement ofthe carriage or a completeA yarn changing movement thereof. 16. In a circular knitting machine, injcombina.-

tion, needles, yarn fingers adaptedl to. feed yarns` to the needles, a movable carriage, yarnfinger controlling V`elements, individual to. the fingers mounted ori-said marriage, spring means for moving said carriage, a memberalternatively operable to holdsaid carriage against movement by the spring means or to selectively control said elements during such carriage movement toefi'ect a yarn change, a camV follower lever for controlling movements of the carriage, and cam means for alternatively relieving said member of its carriage holding function or for controlling a yarn changing movement of the carriage.

17. vIn a circular knitting machine, in combination, circularly arranged needles, a plurality of yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, a'yarnclamp for holding the inactive yarns, operating means adapted to locate a yarn finger in feeding position so that the yarn carried by said finger extends from the finger to the clamp, a yarn placer, and means adapted to first positively move said placer in the direction of the axis of the circle of needles to the yarn engaging level and then to swing it transversely to said axis to engage the yarn extending between the finger and the clamp and carry it over to the needles so that it may be engaged thereby.

i8. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, a movable carriage, yarn finger controlling elements mounted on said carriage, a lever for moving the carriage, a slidable cam follower carried by said lever, two cams for controlling the lever, and means adapted to slide the follower from one cam to the other.

19. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, a movable carriage, yarn finger controlling elements mounted on said carriage, a lever for moving the carriage, a slidable cam follower carried by said lever, a cam adapted to advance said carriage to effect a change of yarn, said cam having a. high concentric portion which maintains the carriage in its extreme forward position, a second cam adjacent to the first cam adapted to prolong the high portion of the rst cam, and means for controlling the follower s0 that it may be under the infiuence of either one of the two cams.

20. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, a movable carriage, yarn finger controlling elements mounted on said carriage, spring means for retracting said carriage, an operating lever for advancing said carriage to effect a yarn change, a slidable cam follower carried by said operating lever, two adjacent cams adapted to control the operating lever through saidf follower, means adapted to selectively control the elements mounted on the carriage, means adapted to hold the carriage in its forward position, and means for moving the follower from one cam to the other so that during the yarn changing movement of the carriage one of the cams will be operative and during the actuation of the selecting means and holding means the other cam will be operative.

2l. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, circularly arranged needles, a plurality of yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, a yarn clamp for holding the inactive yarns, operating means for locating a yarn finger in feeding position so that the yarn carried by said finger extends from the nger to the clamp, a single yarn placer arranged to engage all of said yarns, means for moving said placer from inactive position to engage the yarn extending between a newly introduced yarn finger and the clamp to carry it over to the needles so that it may be engaged thereby, and means for thereafter moving the placer out of the path of a withdrawing yarn prior to the placers reaching its inactive position.

22. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a yarn finger adapted to feed a yarn to the needles from a feeding position, means for withdrawing said yarn finger from its feeding position, said yarn finger in its withdrawing movement tending to move its yarn both outwardly and in the direction of the axis of the needle circle, and yarn controlling means for preventing both substantial outward and substantial axial movements of the yarn from normal feeding relationship with the needles as its finger is being withdrawn.

23. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a plurality of yarn fingers each being adapted to feed a yarn to the needles from approximately the same feeding position, means for withdrawing said yarn fingers from said feeding position, at least one of said yarn fingers in itsl withdrawing movement tending to move its yarn both outwardly and in the direction of the axis of the needle circle, and yarn controlling means for preventing both substantial outward and substantial axial movements of the yarns from normal feeding relationship with the needles as their fingers are being withdrawn.

24. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, a plurality of yarn fingers adapted to feed yarns to the needles, yarn finger operating means, a clamp for inactive yarns, and means arranged across the paths of the incoming and outgoing yarns to temporarily retain an outgoing yarn in feeding relationship with the needles without interference with engagement of an incoming yarn by the needles.

25. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, needles, yarn fingers which are spring urged into feeding position, detents associated with the fingers and adapted to hold said fingers out of feeding position, and an operating element for each finger and detent arranged to occupy alternative positions and adapted to be selectively located in one position to trip a detent out of mechanical connection with its finger and thereby render its finger active or in another position to positively withdraw its finger from feeding position so that it will be held out by its detent.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN. 

